Bail set for wife in man's slaying

A West Side woman pulled a knife from a kitchen drawer, stabbed her husband to death while he was sleeping, then carefully washed the knife and put it away, authorities said Monday.

Rovenne Barnes, 51, who was charged with first-degree murder Sunday, appeared at a bond hearing Monday, where Cook County Circuit Judge Maura Slattery Boyle set bail at $900,000.

After stabbing her husband, Alexander Barnes, 70, multiple times, she washed the weapon, returned it to the kitchen, changed clothes and called 911 to report what she had done, said Tandra Simonton, a spokesman for the Cook County state's attorney's office.

She offered no explanation, Simonton said.

Officers were called to the Barnes apartment in the 100 block of South Campbell Avenue about 1:15 a.m. Sunday, Chicago Police Officer Marcel Bright said.

At the bond hearing, Assistant State's Atty. Jason Poje said Barnes had confessed and told authorities that she was not taking her medication. He declined to say what she had been taking.

Barnes declined to speak with her attorney, Joe Kennelly, before and during the hearing.

Kennelly declined to comment.

The judge ordered a psychiatric evaluation of Barnes. Her next court date will be Jan. 11.